Planned Oregon power plant could double in size

Oregon Mayor Mike Seferian speaks as developers of the Oregon Clean Energy Project give an update on the planning of a natural gas-fired electricity generation plant during a meeting in his office today. Listening, from left are; Bill Siderewicz and Bill Martin managing partners of North America Project Development, LLC, and Lindsay Myers, Executive Director of Oregon Economic Development Foundation.

The developers of a natural gas-fired power plant planned for Oregon said today the $800 million facility could be expanded to twice its original size as demand for power increases.

The Oregon Clean Energy Center originally will have a capacity of 800 megawatts, but could be expanded to 1,600 megawatts, said Bill Siderewicz, a managing partner with North American Project Development LLC, the Boston-based energy group that is developing the project.

He said any expansion will depend on demand for power, and that  his firm's consultant has said the plant will be able to sell all the power it can generate.

The power plant will be located on a 30-acre site at 816 Lallendorf Rd. The developers also have an option to purchase an adjacent 33 acres.

Construction is expected to begin in late spring or early summer of 2014. About 500 construction workers will be needed. Bill Martin, another managing partner at the development company, said his firm is committed to using union labor and local contractors. 

Plans call for the plant to be operational in May of 2017.